Why Fortunianna

You may wonder what’s special about a Fortunianna rose bush? Several years ago when I learned of and joined The Savannah Rose Society they talked of Fortunianna roses as being a new and better type of rose to grow here in Savannah. The internet being the information hot line that it is,  I started doing some investigating. Let me back track a bit. You may be like I was- clueless as to what they were talking about. Fortunianna is a type of rose; it was first discovered in China in the 1800’s, made it way to Australia, then Europe and finally here to the US. They use the plant for it’s roots, (rootstock), and then graft the rose stem, (scion), that they want to reproduce.  I went to web site after web site reading why one rootstock was far and above better than any other, thus confusing me at best. So I started my own experiment.   I ordered all hybrid tea roses from different suppliers on different root systems.  Some were grown on their own roots, some Dr. Huey, Multiflora, and the Fortunianna. All were planted and given the same care here at my home garden. The results showed after just one year. The Fortunianna roses far out grew their counterparts even though they started out as much smaller plants.

  The facts are, that in our sandy soils, the roses grafted to this root stock will out perform all others ten times over. Fortuniana produces a huge system of roots that provides the plant with all the food and water it needs to produce a larger plant that in turn produces laerger blooms.  Where the other root systems will start to decline after a couple of years in our nematode infested soils,  this rose will prosper.  The University of Florida did their own study and came up with the same results. They don’t even list a second best root stock to grow hybrid tea roses on in sandy soils. If you would like to see the proof you are welcome to come here to see the parent plants here in my garden. In Savannah you would also be most welcome to visit the Botanical Center on Eisenhower Drive. There you will find an exquisite garden with Fortunianna roses maintained by Harry Howard and the Savannah Rose Society, the Botanical Center and the many volunteers that work to keep this the gem that it is.

  All of the hybrid teas and Floribunda roses offered here at EbenezerRose  will reward you with years and years of beautiful blooms that you’ll want to share with your family, friends and neighbors.